1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of assembling window sashes. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device for assembling a window sash having an integrated insulating glass pane.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention starts at a method comprising the features specified in the preamble of claim 1, namely, a method for forming a device for assembling window sashes comprising an integrated insulating glass pane, wherein the window sashes comprise a frame formed from plastic hollow profiles comprising an inner face, an outer face facing away from the inner face, and two flanks which connect the inner face and the outer face to each other, wherein the frame, on the inner face of the frame comprises two webs which are parallel to each other, which constitute an all-around delimitation of the window opening of the window sash and which are adhesively secured to two glass plates which are held spaced apart by the two webs. Such a method is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,288 B1 and from U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,724 B2 for producing sliding sashes. These publications disclose window sashes for sliding sashes and methods for the production thereof, which are known under the identification “sashlite”.
In the case of the “sashlite” method, a rectangular or square frame is initially formed from an extruded plastic hollow profile, in that the four legs of the frame are cut from the plastic hollow profile and are welded to each other in pairs at their ends by means of ultrasound for forming the corners of the frame. On its inner face, the frame has two webs, which are parallel to each other. A paste-like adhesive compound, in which a moisture-binding material, in particular molecular sieves in the form of powder, is embedded, is injected into the space between these two webs. A line of a sealing and adhesive compound, by means of which two glass plates are adhesively secured to the two webs, which serve as spacers for the two glass plates, is applied all around, at all four legs of the frame, on the outside of the two webs. Such a sealing and adhesive compound will hereinbelow be referred to as sealing compound. It has the object of establishing a fixed connection between the webs of the frame, which are directed inwardly, and the glass plates, and to seal the gap between the webs and the glass plates against the penetration of moisture and against a loss of a heavy gas, which is possibly filled into the space between the glass plates.
The premanufactured frame is placed onto a horizontal conveyor track and is conveyed to a processing station, in which the adhesive compound, which includes the moisture-binding material, is initially injected into the space between the two webs at all four legs of the frame. Said space is open towards the respective opposite leg of the frame. A line of the sealing compound is then applied to the one of the two webs, which is located on the top, and a first glass plate is adhesively secured thereto. The frame is then turned over on the horizontal conveyor track, so that the web having the first glass plate, which adheres thereto, is located on the bottom and the second one of the two parallel webs is located on top. A line of the sealing compound is then applied all around to the web, which is now located on top, and the second glass plate is adhesively secured to this line.
Outside of the area, which is covered by the glass plates, one of the two webs has a bore, which leads into the space between the glass plates. The space between the two glass plates can be vented by means of this bore when the two glass plates are pressed against the webs, whereby the space between the glass plates is decreased. The pressing of the glass plates takes place in that, e.g., rollers act on the glass plates in the area of the two webs and the glass plates are pressed against the webs through this, whereby the sealing compound is flattened and the gap between the two glass plates is sealed. It is known as another possibility for pressing the two glass plates of a sashlite window against the two webs of the window frame, to suck air from the space between the two glass plates through the bore, which is provided in one of the webs, so that a low pressure, which pulls the glass plates against the webs and thus flattens the sealing compound, is created in the space.
In the case of the sashlite method, it is furthermore known to insert two small tubes into the bore in one of the two webs of the window frame. A heavy gas, e.g. argon, is blown through one of the small tubes into the space between the two glass plates. Air or a mixture of air and the heavy gas is extracted from the space between the two glass plates by suction through the other small tube. Through this, the air in the space between the glass plates is partially replaced with the heavy gas, whereby the heat transfer between the two glass plates is made difficult. After such a gas exchange, the bore in the web of the frame is sealed.
Lastly, cover strips, which cover the edge of the glass plates towards the outside, are also inserted into the frame. The window sash having the integrated insulating glass pane is thus finished.
For the most part, the known sashlite method is carried out manually. It is disadvantageous that the personnel costs are high and that quality deficiencies are unavoidable.